Tag: empathy

Posted in Philosophy

No Place for Hate—Not Here

Posted on by simplebender
There is no room for Hate…NONE

There is no place for hate in our homes, our faiths, or our government—none. The grievances of Palestinians, Ukrainians, and displaced peoples around the world may be deep and justifiable—and may very well usher in generational hate. But we Americans have no excuse to let hate in. Not in our hearts, our homes, our places of worship—and definitely not in our policies.

Yet hate has become almost reflexive—normalized, even celebrated. It’s hoisted like a banner, waved by those clinging to lost causes and imagined enemies. It grows in minds and festers in rhetoric, often without genuine cause—and with no end goal beyond destruction and domination.

Those who lead or campaign on hate do so to divide, not to solve. Hate is a wedge—driven between communities to create illusionary superiority and incite rage. It doesn’t clarify; it confuses. It doesn’t elevate; it manipulates. When leaders resort to hate, they expose their inability to persuade, to unify, or to understand. Their bluster masks weakness. Their venom reveals fear. They seek the power of the mob, not the strength of dialogue or the courage of compromise.

Listen carefully: hate speech is no longer fringe. The denigration of individuals—by race, gender, belief, political group, or origin—has become a strategy. Its purpose is not discourse, but dominance. Not freedom, but control.

This country cannot be governed by contempt. We must reject those who exploit division. Hate has no place in a nation built on liberty—and none in a future worth striving for. America is stronger because of our diversity, not despite it. We are more mature—intellectually and emotionally—because of our historic willingness to understand and compromise.

Look neither backwards with anger nor forward with hate. Don’t give hate any space. Not here. Not now. Not tomorrow.

NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com @simplebender.bsky.social Stand For Truth

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Posted in Political

Polycephalic Government

Posted on by simplebender

For a government to survive and flourish, it should master the art of being polycephalic—a two-headed entity. It must be tactical, firm, and transactional in its dealings with other nations and major corporations, while remaining empathetic and responsive when building relationships with its citizens. One side is necessarily transactional; the other is inherently relational.

To earn respect from other countries and corporations, a government must take clear, principled stands while staying flexible in negotiations. To gain the respect and support of its citizens, people need to feel heard and valued—not just managed or pacified. They want to believe their leaders take their concerns seriously and act in their interest. A true relationship between the government and the population is based on trust and mutual respect, not mere management.

Foreign powers—whether allies or adversaries—respond to displays of strength and resolve. They respect governments that honor agreements and defend their positions. While negotiation, brinkmanship, and strategic posturing are part of diplomacy, other nations quickly recognize empty gestures and adjust their strategies accordingly. Effective foreign policy demands both strength and strategic adaptability, even when it creates friction with allies and adversaries alike.

Domestic governance, however, requires a fundamentally different approach. In a representative republic, leadership is not about dominance or control. Governing a diverse society requires building long-term relationships, showing mutual trust, and pursuing shared goals and values—even when none are apparent. The government representative must remember they work for the people. The people are their clients. Not the other way around. Success comes through compromise and persuasion, not threats or coercion. Citizens want to feel important and respected. They expect their representatives to act on their behalf, not at the behest of outside forces. A representative government fails when it resorts to force or manipulation to control its people, as coercion undermines democratic principles and personal freedom. A polycephalic government must function with both “heads” in harmony. It should not treat citizens like foreign powers or corporations in transactional terms. At the same time, it must seek to improve the lives of all citizens—not just those who elected them. Domestic and foreign policy are distinct realms requiring different strategies. Confusing them invites conflict and dysfunction.

NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com @simplebender.bsky.social Tollite mundum ceasaribus

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Posted in Communication

Better Not to Hear than Not be Heard

Posted on by simplebender

In our zeal to appear to listen to everyone, we are not hearing anyone. This unfortunate reality has turned the tables in politics, neighborhoods, and even families. We almost seem to be ‘play listening, ‘ nodding our heads in agreement all the while formulating our response without really hearing. We are treating people like we scroll headlines—no real interest, just browsing.

We all want to be heard. We all want our expressed thoughts and opinions to, at least, be heard. The failure to be heard has brought us to where we are and will take us where we will go. The facade of hearing and the misdirection of understanding have been the tools of the deceivers forever.

The examples of perceived lack of hearing pepper our history. Women felt oppressed, disenfranchised, and weren’t being heard, which led to suffrage. African Americans cried out about racial injustice and oppression, leading to civil rights reforms. LGBTQs faced the same lack of understanding and have pressed for social change. And now, rural Americans of all races and genders are screaming to be heard about the loss of rights and freedoms. It isn’t that they weren’t speaking, but they weren’t being heard. The voices were muffled and muted and, in some cases, literally covered and gagged to prevent their speech. If we don’t pay attention, we will cycle through these and other issues infinitely more times.

Without being heard in civil discord, those affected lash out, resorting to yelling and physical actions to get attention. Their plight is real to them. We will only perpetuate a cycle of misunderstanding, disregard, mistrust, and violent upheaval until we are ready to hear and absorb what they say and mean.

This cycle will continue until a champion comes forward who, at least, appears to hear their plight. It doesn’t matter if they really care or not. They are someone who has stature and who takes up the cause. They become bigger than life, regardless of their own life story. They become the voice of the unheard. Their past transgressions are irrelevant to the yelling mob. They are giving the mob a voice, a charismatic champion, someone willing to take up the cause and press forward. Like the snake oil salesman, acknowledging your ailment and offering you a dubious elixir to cure your pains. Unfortunately, the hangover from the cure might be worse.

Being hearing impaired, I understand the frustration of not hearing. I understand the isolation in a crowded room. I’ve watched people become frustrated with repeating what they have said because I have difficulty hearing them. However, their frustration is even more profound when their message falls not on deaf ears but on ears unwilling to hear or listen. It is far better not to hear than not to be heard. Stop formulating a response and hear what others are saying. Hear what others are asking and pleading for. Their needs are real to them, just as yours are to you. People are much more than the scrolling headlines at the bottom of the TV. People matter. Don’t just stop and listen, but stop and really hear and try to understand, even if you disagree.

NeverFearTheDream……..simplebender.com

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